Rights violations against prisoners continue to increase day by day. Rize Kalkandere L Type Closed Prison has once again come to the agenda with a new rights violation against political prisoners. It has been reported that Erdem Aktı, Gıyasettin Aydın, Mehmet Aydın Söğüt, Mehmet Şiyar Kayadağ, Umut Savaş Koçyiğit, and Nejdet Tarlak were punished on the grounds that they provided Kurdish education.
According to the information obtained, the prison administration first imposed solitary confinement punishments on the prisoners in question. Following this, the political prisoners were deported to different prisons. It was stated that, some time after the transfer, the investigation initiated by the prison disciplinary board was turned into a court case.
Nejdet Tarlak, who was released from Rize Kalkandere L Type Prison three months ago, spoke to ANF about the rights violations experienced in prisons and the problems faced by political prisoners.
Investigation turned into a court case
Stating that a case had been filed against him and six prisoners with whom he stayed in the same prison, Tarlak said: “A case was filed against us together with the six friends we stayed with in prison. The reason given for filing the case was ‘providing Kurdish education.’ First, solitary confinement penalties were given, and then some of our friends were exiled. The investigation initiated by the prison administration later turned into a court case.
After the investigation, I was transferred to Kırşehir S Type Closed Prison. My friends were also transferred: Şiyar Kayadağ to Kırşehir High Security Closed Prison, Umut Savaş Koçyiğit to Sincan No. 1 Closed Prison, Erdem Aktı to Sincan No. 2 Closed Prison, Giyasettin Aydın to Samsun Çarşamba S Type Closed Prison, and Mehmet Aydın Söğüt to Samsun Kavak Closed Prison.
Although Mehmet Aydın Söğüt should have been released this month, his sentence was postponed through arbitrary practices. Gıyasettin Aydın, on the other hand, had his sentence effectively annulled/extended on the grounds that he received solitary confinement.”
Systematically under pressure
Drawing attention to the fact that pressure on prisoners in Rize Kalkandere Prison has become systematic, Tarlak said: “There is an intimidation policy against political prisoners. The prison administration punishes us with arbitrary practices. The only reason for this is their attempt to break our will. They do not even want us to come together in prison. We have always struggled against this attitude.
There is a peace process outside, but it is not possible to talk about peace in prisons. Our path is blocked by practices that are not in accordance with the law. Friends who should be released are not being released. These arbitrary practices must end immediately.”
Nejdet Tarlak emphasized that the pressure in prisons must end and that prisoners whose sentences have been postponed or annulled should regain their freedom as soon as possible, and said that they would continue their struggle.